New Hearts boss Neil Critchley makes promise to 'divided' Hearts supporters

New Hearts boss Neil Critchley has made it clear that he believes he is the right man to get the Jambos off the bottom of the Scottish Premiership and moving up the league table.

It would be fair to say that the former Blackpool and QPR boss has arrived at Tynecastle to a lukewarm reception from the supporters. However, he has promised the Jambos’ fans that he will give his all to the job to try and return the club to the sort of form that has brought them European football two out of the past three seasons.

He said: “I believe I am (the right man for the job) otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here.  I understand that whoever's sitting here, it always divides opinion. I can only control what I can control.

GET THE LATEST HEARTS NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX DAILY WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER SERVICE

“I promise the Hearts supporters that I will give them everything I've got every single day to improve this football club. I'm fully confident that I can do that and I'll be the man to get us out of the situation that we're in right now.”

The 45-year old also discussed the people who has spoken to and will speak to about taking the job. Among them are most obviously Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard who won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers and who Critchley was assistant to at Aston Villa.

He added: “I'd be foolish not to reach out to some of those people as well because they've experienced something that I haven't and they're also good people. I know they give me good advice, but also I have to use the people that surround me as well.

“I've got some good people in the staff so I'm never afraid to ask and I don't pretend that I know everything, I certainly don't, I know we see it as a hugely collective effort.

“One of the reasons why I chose to leave Blackpool at the time was because of that relationship with Steven that I'd built at Liverpool and to go and work with somebody like him in the Premier League at a club like Aston Villa, that was a great opportunity and something that I really enjoyed. I think I'd be foolish not to speak to someone like Steven, and there's other people as well, but he was here for three years and had good success himself.

“So there's already been a few other people who will rename nameless at this moment in time, but they've been also giving me some advice, but again there's people on the staff at the football club as well that I need to tap into.”